Traffic cameras coming to Route 30 corridor

The cameras help monitor traffic congestion, crashes and weather-related problems.

Foreman Kevin Miller closes up a box put in earlier that day on Loucks Road in West Manchester Township. This is one of nine locations along Route 30 where the state Department of Transportation is installing traffic cameras to monitor congestion, crashes and weather-related problems. (DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS - KATE PENN)

York, PA -

More traffic cameras will be coming to York County -- mostly along Route 30 -- to help drivers during their daily commutes.

Nine closed-circuit television cameras will be installed along Route 30 between Route 616 in West Manchester Township and the Wrightsville exit in Hellam Township, said Mike Crochunis, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation.

One camera also will go up on Interstate 83 between the Glen Rock and Loganville exits, he said. That will make 18 traffic cameras along I-83 in York County.

The cameras are used to watch for traffic congestion, crashes and weather-related problems on the road. PennDOT started the effort on the interstates and is now moving on to other limited-access highways, including Route 15 in Adams County, Crochunis said.

But that's not all that's coming to York County over the next five months.

To complement the traffic cameras, nine message signs will be put up along I-83 and Route 30 and five Highway Advisory Radio transmitters and 10 Highway Advisory Radio flashing beacons will be installed to help warn drivers about any problems ahead.

All of the work is part of a $3.8 million contract with Wellington Power Corp. of Pittsburgh, Crochunis said.

The project is expected to be finished by the end of the year.

"This ought to cover the corridor pretty well," Crochunis said.

Location of the new traffic cameras

The closed-circuit television cameras will be installed in nine locations along Route 30:

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--- Route 616

--- Route 462

--- Route 74

--- Loucks Road

--- Sherman Street

--- Memory Lane

--- Route 24

--- Hellam exit

--- Wrightsville exit

Location of the message signs

Here are the locations of the message board signs:

--- I-83 North at the state line

--- I-83 North at Exit 16 (Queen Street)

--- I-83 North near Exit 22 (North George Street)

A Wellington Power Corp. crew works on Loucks Road in West Manchester Township. (DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS - KATE PENN)

--- I-83 South prior to Exit 14 (Leader Heights)

--- I-83 South near the Exit 32 (Newberrytown)

--- Route 30 East at North Hills Road

--- Route 30 West at the Wrightsville bridge

--- Route 30 East and West in the area of Route 234.

Cameras are helpful

The traffic cameras have been helpful to York County 911 dispatchers, county spokesman Carl Lindquist said in an email.

Callers who are reporting a crash will often tell dispatchers that it is near a specific exit, Lindquist said. Dispatchers can use the cameras to more accurately pinpoint the location, which allows for a better response time.

The cameras also can help dispatchers better understand what is going on, he said.

For example, if 911 receives multiple calls about a crash in the same general area but the descriptions are different, the cameras can help dispatchers see if there is one wreck or two.

The cameras also have been used to track an incoming weather storm, Lindquist said. That is helpful in making decisions about staffing levels or other actions that might need to be taken.

"The expansion of the traffic camera network is welcome news at the 911 Center," Lindquist wrote.

Springettsbury Township Police Chief Thomas Hyers said traffic cameras are a trend that is going national.

"We're glad these cameras are coming out," he said. "I think they're a good thing."

Some other area fire chiefs and a police chief said they were not familiar with the traffic cameras but want to learn more.

"It's probably going to be very beneficial in the end," West Manchester Township Police Chief Arthur Smith said.